ESP Eclipse and 3 BKPs..which should I install?

[xykhron]

Hi!

As stated in the topic subject, I own an ESP Eclipse (not the full thickness version, just the standar) with rosewood fingerboard, and currently I've at home 3 BKP sets, so I beg for your help in order to choose the right one to install. I want to achieve a beefy fat tone. All my guitars are C-tuned with 0.14-0.68 string gauge and I play melodic death metal. Currently, the guitar has an EMG85 at bridge and EMG81 at neck (yeah, I swapped positions due the extra bass of the 85).

So, the BKPs I have:
- Alnico Warpig
- Ceramic Nailbomb
- Holydiver

Thank you, guys!

[sdrizis89]

i own a ceramic nailbomb and i have it in a les paul axcess (mahogany, maple cap, floyd rose, thinner LP body, etc.).  In my LP it has a nice big tone.  Bass is big but tight, the mids arent too much and the highs are not harsh BUT if EQ'd the wrong way with the amp can def get near harsh. I'm not great at describing pickups but thats the best i can do haha.   If your ESP in mahogany i think the C-bomb would be a great fit.  I've never tried the other two though so i'll let others speak for those. 

[Slartibartfarst42]

PersonallyI would prefer either the A-Pig or Holydiver to the C-Bomb but then I don't play Death Metal, 'melodic' or otherwise so that's one of the main reasons I think the C-Bomb would suit you best  :D It has that really aggressive edge to it that I think you'll like and is easily tight enough for low tunings.

[Skilpad]

Why not trying them all (when recording for easy comparison after)?
I would just do so:

Instead of directly solder a pickup to your potentiometers and ground, solder there a female connector (so with 2 or 4 wires: one per pickup wire). Then, at the end of your pickup wires, solder a similar male connector. Just be sure that when plugged, each pickup wire will be connected to the good point.
Once done, you can easily change your pickups without soldering/unsoldering: just unplug and remove the old one, plug and fix the new one.

[Alex]

Funny enough, in my Eclipse I'd feel all those options are too dark voiced pickups. I even wish the EMG81 was a bit brighter.

I think that guitars can differ quite a lot from the same series.

[ericsabbath]

c-bomb

[Dave Sloven]

I'd say the C-Bomb, but maybe even the Holy Diver, given that you are playing melodic death metal.

If you were playing stuff like Nashgul or Machetazo I would say the A-Pig, but you probably need something less 'fat' in tone for what you are doing.

[Lucas]

I haven`t had any experience with HD but in that wood specs CBomb will be darker and fat-bad azz sounding but once you swapped 81 with 85 it shouldn`t be the issue then.

[xykhron]

Well, so it seems that C-Bomb will be winner...

one question...why not the A-Pig?....I'm curious...this pickup is supposed to be fat thick sounding.

[Dave Sloven]

It is very thick and fat sounding.  If that is what you want, then go for it.  I guess people think you would find it too fat and too thick, given that you specified *melodic* death metal.  If you were playing that grindy, sludgy stuff that they play in Spain - Machetazo, Nashgul, Looking For An Answer - then it would be a 'no brainer' and people would have recommended the A-Pig.  But most people who play 'death metal' are not looking for that kind of sound - they usually look for an EMG type sound - and you give the impression that you are looking for something more precise and less overwhelming.  Make no doubt about it, the A-Pig is a huge sounding pickup and that's not always the answer people are looking for.  If output was the answer to everything the Warpig pickups would have the market cornered.

[Lucas]

I presume that CBomb will be plenty when it comes to output, thickness and huge bottom end and pronounced mids in that wood specs.
You might find Warpig too dark while I find CBomb quite darkish and fat sounding in my all mahogany guitar. Plus low tuning on the top of it... It certainly won`t be as defined as CBomb.
Unless you wanna go extra fatty with wall crushing bass in the bottom end and sludgy pickup  as Agent Orange mentioned , then you might consider Warpig.
I only say it by the way CBomb sounds in my mahogany Dean.